Optimization of the fermentation medium for maximization of actinorhodin production by Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) was carried out. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the medium constituents. A 2(4) full-factorial central composite design (CCD) was chosen to explain the combined effects of the four medium constituents, viz. sucrose, glucose, yeast extract (YE) and peptone, and to design a minimum number of experiments. The P-values of the coefficients for linear, quadratic and cross-product effect of sucrose and glucose concentration were <0.0001, suggesting that these were critical variables having the greatest effect on the production of actinorhodin in the complex medium. The optimized medium consisting of 339 g/l sucrose, 1 g/l glucose, 1.95 g/l YE and 2.72 g/l peptone predicted 195 mg/l of actinorhodin which was 32% higher than that of the unoptimized medium. The amounts of glucose, YE and peptone required were also reduced with RSM. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.